Lights win big in Las Vegas

The Montana State University-Northern Lights have already won some big non-conference games this season. None though, were like the win the Lights earned Saturday afternoon in Las Vegas.

In an elite NAIA Tournament hosted by Arizona Christian, the Lights stayed perfect on the season with a thrilling 91-84 win over the host Firestorm. Arizona Christian was unbeaten coming into the game, ranked No. 4 in NAIA Division I, and considered a contender for the national title this season. But, after the game was over, it was the Lights who were looking more and more like a legitimate threat to the Frontier Conference, and perhaps the NAIA.

“I am extremely proud of our guys right now, as anyone could imagine,” Northern head coach Shawn Huse said. “We faced one of the best in the country today (Saturday) and came out on top. Really, what more is there to say than that?”

There’s plenty more because the Lights were resilient, tough and clutch against the talented Firestorm.

The Lights trailed by four points at the half, and were down for much of the second stanza. But, some key defensive stops, and hot shooting by Trevail Lee and reserve Tyler Chandler down the stretch helped Northern pull even at the end of regulation, 78-78. From there, the Lights were brilliant, holding the Firestorm scoreless for over two minutes of the extra frame, and outscoring them 13-6 on their way to one of the biggest non-conference victories the Lights have had in some time.

Chandler came off the bench to lead the Lights with 17 points, including five of Northern’s 17 3-pointers. In all, five Lights finished in double figures, with Lee hitting four triples and scoring 14 points, while backup guards Kevin Oberweiser and Badhasa Margasa came in to each pitch in with 11, while Warren Edmonson added 11 points of his own. K.J. Rech and Dylan Tatarka also knocked in threes in MSU-N’s big win.

“It was a back and forth contest that saw us come up with the right plays down the stretch,” Huse said.

While Northern’s win over Arizona Christian was a big one, the weekend in Sin City started a little shaky for the Lights, as they were pushed by little known Benedictine-Mesa in what ended up being a 71-65 win Friday night.

The Lights couldn’t shake the upstart NAIA program, but a huge game from Rech, who scored 16 points and nailed five triples, as well as timely stops and big 3-pointers in the closing minutes, helped the Lights stave off what would have been a big upset. Mesa is in its first year of varsity basketball at the collegiate level.

Chandler was also big in the win for the Lights, with 13 points off the bench, while Lee added 12 and David Straughter scored 11. Edmonson had a big night on the boards for the Lights, pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds.

“Everyone had a hand in our successful weekend,” Huse said. “It was a great team effort and we look for it to serve as great momentum moving forward.”

The Lights, who are now a perfect 7-0, and are sure to move into to the NAIA Top 25 when the first regular season coaches poll is released next month, will have some time off before they move forward back on the court. Northern won’t play again until he Lights open Frontier Conference play Dec. 3 at Rocky Mountain College and Dec. 5 at UM-Western.

Lights 91, AZ Christian 84, OT

MSU-N – Trevail Lee 5-11 0-0 14, Warren Edmonson 4-11 2-2 11, Dylan Tatarka 1-5 5-5 8, KJ Rech 2-4 0-0 6, David Straughter 1-5 3-4 5, Tyler Chandler 6-9 0-0 17, Badhasa Margasa 2-3 6-6 11, Kevin Oberweiser 4-8 2-4 11, William Walker 2-6 0-0 5, Justin Dunsmore 1-3 0-0 3, Brett Thompson 0-1 0-0 0, Ryan Reeves 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 28-68 18-21 91.

AC – Brandon Newman 6-11 0-0 14, Jackson Helms 6-12 2-6 14, Chris Sterling 5-12 1-1 12, Bobby Gray 2-11 5-8 9, Mike Navar 2-2 0-0 4, Sharif Watson 4-7 1-2 10, Wolfgang Wood 2-6 4-4 9, Collin Woods 2-4 1-2 5, Mishima Gray 1-2 2-2 4, Andy Sessions 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 31-70 17-27 84.

Halftime: AZ Christian 43-39; OT: Northern 13-6. 3-pointers: MSU-N 17-41 (Lee 4, Edmonson 1, Rech 2, Chandler 5, Margasa 1, Oberwesier 1, Walker 1, Dunsmore 1), AC 5-17 (Newman 2, Sterling 1, Watson 1, Wood 1); Rebounds: MSU-N 45 (Edmonson 7), AZ 45 (Watson 9); Fouls: MSU-N 22, AC 18; Fouled out: None.

Lights 71, Benedictine 65

MSU-N – Trevail Lee 4-11 1-2 12, Badhasa Margasa 0-2 0-0 0, David Straughter 4-5 3-4 11, Kevin Oberweiser 1-1 0-0 3, Dylan Tatarka 2-7 1-2 6, Warren Edmonson 1-7 1-2 3, Justin Dunsmore 1-5 0-0 3, Tyler Chandler 4-8 2-2 13, William Walker 2-4 1-2 5, KJ Rech 6-9 0-0 16. Totals: 25-59 8-13 71.

Halftime: Northern 37-32. 3-pointers: MSU-N 13-30 (Lee 3, Oberweiser 1, Tatarka 1, Dunsmore 1, Chandler 3, Rech 4); Rebounds: MSU-N 37 (Edmonson 11); Fouls: MSU-N 20; Fouled out: None.